NERVE-CONDUCTION VELOCITY AND H-REFLEX RECOVERY IN BIPOLAR ILLNESS

Bipolar illness may be characterized by dysregulation and dysfunction of biologically active ions and ion pumps, respectively. In an effort to examine whether purported physiologic abnormalities may have functi onal counterparts, nerve conduction velocities (NCVs) and H-reflex rec overy were examined in 7 acutely manic, 11 euthymic bipolar, 13 remitt ed schizophrenic, and 6 normal control individuals. All electrophysiol ogic tests were clinically normal. However, euthymic bipolar patients had significantly slower NCVs than either manic or normal individuals. Percent decrement of H-reflex recovery was nonsignificantly increased in manic versus euthymic bipolar subjects. Data analysis suggests lit hium was not responsible for these changes. These data indicate that d ifferent mood states in bipolar illness are associated with alteration s in electroneurophysiologic function.